Reborn

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The evening meal was enjoyable for everyone. After filling their bellies, and talking for a while, people began to leave towards their own tepees. First, Anala took her boys home, saying they had to wash up at the river before the sun set.

Owen soon followed them with Lewis heading back saying he had to check on the caverns to be sure the people there had eaten and had made their preparations for the nighttime. Edmund and Jayce left soon after heading back to their own tepee.
After she watched them walk away, Renee turned back around to take care of the fire and then hesitated when she saw Kane already doing it.

Renee frowned, worry etched into her brow, as she watched him.

Kane felt her eyes on him, and saw the uncertainty in her eyes, but remained steady in his actions, as if it was natural that he was still there and beginning to put out the fire.

"You like to bathe before sleeping, correct?" He asked her.

Renee watched him for another moment before nodding in response. "Yes."

Kane finished sprinkling dirt on the fire to put out the last of the flames. He watched as it smoked for a moment more, making sure that there was nothing close by that could catch flame before he was satisfied.

"Alright then." He stood up and tilted his head quietly at Renee, his arms crossing across his chest as he considered her. "Do you wish to go to the same place as everyone else, or would you prefer something more private?"

"Um..." Renee voice was low as she turned away so as not to meet his eyes, "Jayce said we could use another part of the river."

Kane didn't mind her looking away and not meeting his eyes. He knew she was feeling a bit uncomfortable, so he just took it in stride and thought about what she said.

"Hmmm I know a good spot. It's not too far from where everyone else washes up, but it's private enough, and the hunters go further downstream when cleaning their kills. I can take you there."

Why exactly was he being so helpful? Renee was slightly at a loss for words and was even more unsure of how to act. Wouldn't him leading them to the river just cause even more gossip? Was he even aware of it?

Helplessly Renee sighed. "I'm sure we could find it if you just pointed us in the right direction..." She began, intending to turn down his offer.

However, before she could finish Kane was already interrupting her. "The place I'm talking about is a bit further away from the tribe and it's not a good idea for you to be alone right now. You already said Marcus found your traces, and we both know he won't stop until he's found you both... You need someone that can protect you by your side if you wish to go there."

Renee was quiet for several long minutes before she finally nodded her head. "I understand."

Still without looking at Kane, she turned towards Alec, who had been cleaning up the sticks that him and his new friends had been playing with off to the side.

"Let's get cleaned for the night, hmm?" She asked him, her voice rising in a slightly lilt. The difference between her voice when talking to Kane, the discomfort in it, and the ease of it when talking to Alec was audible to everyone present, but no one made any mention of it. If anything, Kane merely smiled helplessly at it.

Alec looked at the two adults in front of him silently before he finally stood up with a bounce. With a slightly mischievous glint to his eyes, he strode over to Kane and latched onto one of his hands.